Permit Cancellation & Refund Policy

The County Building Official may authorize the refund of required permit fees as follows: Building Permits

(a) Unused Building permit. On the canceling of a building permit within one hundred eighty (180) days after issuance, no work having been done and no inspections having been performed, the holder may be allowed a refund of the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent, 80%, of the building permit fee paid. No refunds of plan check fees for issued permits shall be allowed. Any unused plumbing, electrical, or mechanical permit(s) taken in conjunction with a building permit are governed by the refund procedures in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Unused plumbing electrical or mechanical permits. No refund of deposits for these permits (including sub permits issued in conjunction with building permits, and miscellaneous permits) shall be allowed, except that on the canceling of a permit within one hundred eighty (180) days after issuance, no work having been done, the holder may be allowed a refund of the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent, 80%, of the plumbing electrical or mechanical permit(s) fees paid. (Ords. 2007-54 § 2, 2002-31 § 2, 99-1 § 5, 80-14 § 4, 76-15).

(b) In cases of a reduction of planned work, the approval of an amended permit therefore by the county building official, and satisfactory completion of the work covered by the permit, the permittee may apply to the county building official within thirty days after issuance of the certificate of completion for a refund of that portion of the permit fee which would not have been required for a permit based on the revised cost of the work in the amended permit. (Ords. 99-46 § 8: 69-59 § 1, 1969).

Fees Eligible for Refund When Canceling a Permit

Building Permit FeeWithin one hundred eighty (180) days after permit issuance, the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent the total paid for the permit, 80%.

Plumbing, Electrical and Mechanical Permit Fees (including those issued in conjunction with a Building Permit) Within one hundred eighty (180) days after issuance, the amount in excess one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent the total paid for the permit(s), 80%.

Clean Water FeeWithin one hundred eighty (180) days after permit issuance, full refund.

Energy SurchargeWithin one hundred eighty (180) days after permit issuance, refund the amount in excess one hundred fifty dollars but no more than eighty percent, 80%.

Land Development/City Surcharge FeesWithin one hundred eighty (180) days after permit issuance, the amount in excess of one hundred fifty dollars but no more than of eighty percent of the total paid for the permit, 80%.

Pool Safety FeeWithin one hundred eighty (180) days after issuance, full refund.

Fees Not Refunded Upon Canceling a Permit

Plan Check Fees

Earthquake Fees

State Special Revolving Fund

Child Care Fees

Flood Zone Fee

Grading review is 25% of the grading permit fee. The review amount will not be refunded.

Fees Not Refunded by this Department

City Surcharge Fees (Contact the applicable city/town office to request a city surcharge refund for canceled permit.)

City of Clayton 925-673-7300

City of Hercules 925-799-8200

City of Lafayette 925-284-1968

Town of Moraga 925-888-7050

City of Orinda 925-253-4224

School District Fees (Contact the applicable school district offices to request a developer fee refund for canceled permit.)

Acalanes Union High School District 925-280-3900

Brentwood Unified School District 925-513-6323

Byron Unified School District 925-809-7500

John Swett Unified School District 925-787-2272

Lafayette Unified School District 925-927-3500

Liberty Union High School District 925-634-2166

Martinez Unified School District 925-355-5800

Moraga Union School District 925-376-5943

Orinda Union School District 925-254-4901

Walnut Creek Unified School District 925-944-6850

Drainage Fees (Contact Public Works at 925-313-2000)

Traffic/Road Fees (Contact Public Works at 925-313-2000)

Fire District Fees (Contact the applicable Fire Protection District to request a facilities fee refund for canceled permit)